Washington confirms massive $3.075 billion aid package for Ukraine

A massive $3.075 billion aid package for Ukraine has been confirmed by the Department of Defence in Washington.

In a statement released on Friday, January 6, the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) announced the Biden Administration’s latest commitment of $3.075 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine.

Big news – we’re starting 2023 with continued strong support for Ukraine. This package of an additional $3 billion in security assistance includes armored fighting vehicles and personnel carriers to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. https://t.co/BxJtEiChlX

— Ambassador Julianne Smith (@USAmbNATO) January 6, 2023

This package includes the authorisation of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $2.85 billion to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defence needs, as well as the Department of State’s announcement of $225 million in Foreign Military Financing to contribute to the long-term capacity and modernisation of Ukraine’s military.

The Presidential Drawdown is the twenty-ninth such drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine that the Biden Administration has authorised since August 2021. Capabilities in this package include:

• 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with 500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 250,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition
• 100 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers
• 55 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs)
• 138 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs)
• 18 155mm self-propelled Howitzers and 18 ammunition support vehicles
• 70,000 155mm artillery rounds
• 500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds
• 1,200 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems
• 36 105mm towed Howitzers and 95,000 105mm artillery rounds
• 10,000 120mm mortar rounds
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• RIM-7 missiles for air defence
• 4,000 Zuni aircraft rockets
• Approximately 2,000 anti-armour rockets
• Sniper rifles, machine guns, and ammunition for grenade launchers and small arms
• Claymore anti-personnel munitions
• Night vision devices and optics
• Spare parts and other field equipment

The Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and other armoured vehicles and artillery systems will complement the recent commitment of combat vehicles to Ukraine by Germany and France.

Washington’s DoD also welcomed Germany’s commitment to join the United States in supporting Ukraine’s urgent requirement for air defence capabilities by also supplying one Patriot air defence battery to Kyiv.

The Biden Administration said that it will continue to encourage its Allies and partners to make additional donations of air defence systems, artillery, combat vehicles, and other critical capabilities to support Ukraine in defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity for as long as it takes.

Toward that end, the Department of State also announced today $682 million in additional Foreign Military Financing to incentivise and backfill donations of military equipment to Ukraine by Allies and partners.

In total, the United States has committed more than $24.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $27 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $24.2 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24.

Today the United States announced $3.75B in military assistance to Ukraine and our European partners and allies, including Foreign Military Financing and a $2.85B drawdown from @DeptofDefense stocks. As Ukraine pushes back Russia’s forces, we remain #UnitedWithUkraine.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 6, 2023

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